The Professional Mentor Academy (TPMA) aims to support senior executives in all sectors make use of their experience and wisdom by becoming Professional Mentors. A Professional Mentor can be described as a “coach plus” – the plus being a recognition of the value of their executive experience.PMA offers a portfolio of programmes at different levels of professionality. Fundamental to each are the principles that Professional Mentors:

Are non-directive and person-centred – they help other people discover their own wisdom, rather than pass on the mentor’s

Help people with the quality of their thinking, using the mentor’s expertise to craft insight-provoking questions

Have deep knowledge of and insight into human behaviour

Are able to help mentees think systemically and strategically about the issues they wish to explore

Combine authenticity, gravitas and humility with an enduring interest in helping other people achieve their potential

Understand and can manage the boundaries between mentoring and coaching, counselling, psychotherapy, consultancy and other forms of helping.

Professional Mentors can work with a wide spectrum of mentees, but will most commonly help:

With major transitions in role for leaders and aspiring leaders

As a sounding board for leaders, who are already established in role

Entrepreneurs at any stage in the creation and growth of a business

As ethical mentors, to assist people and organizations to develop ethical resilience